Place a 12V battery inside, and the ArkPak becomes a 12V battery charger, a portable power station, a battery management system and a dual-battery system all rolled into one - which can be re-charged in 4 ways, including DC-DC from your vehicle whilst you are on the move….THIS IS AN EOFYS SPECIAL LIMITED STOCK…PRICE RISE IMMINENT.
Bunnings toolbox: $22
https://www.bunnings.com.au/tactix-507mm-tool-box_p5820716
Ctek charger: $30
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CTEK-3-8-5-0Amp-Wall-Hanger/1925…
12v Anderson plugs x10: $30
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/323215192896?var=512289674843&ssP…
Jaycar 300w inverter: $50
https://www.jaycar.com.au/300w-1000w-surge-12vdc-to-230vac-e…
Female cigarette lighter socket: $4
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DC-Female-Car-Cigarette-Lighter-…
5v USB car charger: $5 (which you probably already have)
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-Port-Mini-Universal-Dual-USB-C…
Plus the battery; ask your friendly neighbourhood mechanic nicely like I did, and you might pick one up for free!
$141 in total. I can vouch for the DIY method as I've already done it & works a treat. Anderson plugs on my jumper leads, generator, both my cars (under the bonnet) & I'm set for providing any assistance where needed!
Not disagreeing with you, but you've linked the ctek charger mounting bracket rather than the charger
you can buy 12v battery boxes off ebay for well under $100 that has most of that integrated in
you still need the 240v inverter and you will need some kind of charger to recharge the 12v battery
also you cant run too much high amp devices off these bodge jobs
the $400 plus units in the title will run portable fridges and that kind of nonsense grey nomads like
Like the idea, but…
This is intended for 4WD & camper use, running a fridge etc, often a long way from mains power to charge it. Your use is much simpler & a good idea for its intended use.
More like $89 (depending on model & charging capacity) for the CTEK Battery Charger MXS3.8 (only 3.8A against 7A in this deal) from DS rather than a $30 bracket for it from same outlet.
No dual-battery charging capacity - necessary for charging in vehicle away from mains power & often a pricy feature - eg $240 as I commented below. (I bought a much cheaper DIY kit.)
The inverter is out of stock online & may not be available in stores… Expect to pay more.
Going bush with a scrounged battery as your source of power sounds risky & unlikely to meet power requirements at a remote camp (fridge, lighting). Replacing the battery well away from discount outlets could be an expensive & regrettable consequence.
(I've used scrounged 4WD batteries, charged from runs in car, in off-grid location & used similar setup to what you describe. But power output was severely limited. Luckily had gas fridge.)
Good on ya mate , well done
We go bush a lot, and I would definitely spend the money on a proper battery box when you're "out there".
(#) I shudder to think about a loose battery, connected to your car via Anderson plug, having a full short…
So for 95% of people - this is a really good "set and forget" product.
Spoken like a true 1/2 job diy..yeah install a ctek wall hanger (not a charger)..dont worry about the fact the arkpak has an ac & dc charger inbuilt @ 7amps..not to mention the mess…LOL..
LOL yourself ….
different market
some people are willing to spend $400 plus
i'm not, then again i'm not super interested in running 240v from my car
12v from your car..not 240v…240v appliances yes
Lol back at you..
The fitting of anderson plugs to 4wd is another cost
U could also get a projecta Power hub for $300 I have one they work well
While useful to provide limited Mains power away from supply, it's not the same as this for intended remote 4WD & camper use.
To be almost equivalent, would need to add a dual-battery charger for DC charging in vehicle. Recommended unit is the Projecta IDC25 around $240! That would make the 2 units more expensive than this deal's single unit. (There are cheaper options. I bought a DIY kit for dual-battery charging.)
The powerhub doesnt have dc charging.
Thanks for posting, not in the market for one now but good to see what is available.
I have one of these and it is a complete pos. I sent in back for numerous problems. car charger fails to work for unknown reason. I would suggest getting the Projects powerful instead as it comes with a pure Soundwave inverter instead of modified sine. also you probably won't have the crappy warranty issues with Projector.
What's RRP of this normally.
Is this a euro brand box?
BCF Ebay
5% with pull5 and 1% Cashrward, which comes down to around $413 plus free pick up instore.